Recovery and driving after brief anaesthesia

Abstract

It seems clear that patients should always be escorted when leaving the hospital after brief anaesthesia. The length of hospital stay should be based on the patient's test performance as well as on the supposed effects of the drugs on psychomotor performance. Minimal requirements for safe discharge should, in addition to stable vital signs and the ability to maintain oral fluids, include that patients are able to dress themselves and able to walk out. Recommendations not to drive should be based on the extent of the impairment of performance when assessed at the hospital, as well as on documented objective knowledge of the residual effects of the drugs used. In most cases patients should refrain from driving for at least 24 hours after anaesthesia.